Garment-supporting clasp.



PATBNTED DEC. 24, 1907.

J. P. "ATWO0D. GARMENT SUPPORTING CLASP.`

.A.1=f-Lx JAT1o'N FILED JULY 1o. 1907.

my f, It

THE Hamas PETEzs a., wAsmNamm-(1x1A JAMES F. ATWOOD, OF GLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

GARMENT-SUPPORTING CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24:, 1907.

Application filed July 10i 1907. Serial No. 383,026.

To all whom it may concern:

y Be it known that I, JAMES F. ATwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Claremont, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Garment-Supporting Clasps, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to clasps for supporting garments or portions thereof, such as stockings, underwear, etc., and particularly to that class of garment-supporting clasps in which two pivotally connected jaws or members which .are held normally apart by a spring are forced against opposite sides of the garment by means of a lever which, when the clasp is thus closed against the fabric, is locked -in such closed position.

The invention consists of a certain new and novel construction and arrangement of parts fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of my improved clasp in position on a suitable web or -of the stationary aw or member.

tab which is adapted to be attached to a garment. In this figure dotted lines indicate a portion of the garment or fabric to be suported. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on ine 2 2, Fig. 1, with the clasp in a closed position and the article being supported indicated in full lines. Fig. 3 is a similar section illustrating the clasp in an open position. Fig. 4 is an inside view of the swinging or movable aw or member. Fig 'is a view of the lever detached. Fig. 6 is an inside view Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7, Fig. 6.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The clasp comprises a stationary jaw, a

swinging or movable ljaw, a spring adapted to hold the movable jaw with its clamping end forward or away from the stationary jaw, and a locking lever pivotally connected with the stationary jaw and extending through the movable jaw.

The stationary jaw comprises the main portion a of flat metal and provided with the horizontal slots l), c and d, said main portion being preferably formed with raised edges a for stiffening purposes. Near its upper end it is provided at its edges with ears c opposite the ends of the slot t, and its central portion is formed up at f to receive the ends g of a horizontal staple-shaped pivot-pin g. See Figs. 6 and 7.

The swinging member or jaw comprises the flat portion 7i preferably provided with 'a stiifening edge h', (which as the jaw h extends down somewhat lower than the aw a, is adapted to underlap the lower end of said jaw a), and at its upper end 0n opposite sides with ears i which are adapted to lie inside of or between the ears c when the two jaws are secured together by a horizontal pivot j which extends through said ears e and i. This movable jaw is provided near its lower end with a broad horizontal slot k, a horizontal inwardly extending lip 7c bein formed next the lower edge of said slot. A ove the slot 7c is a smaller horizontal slot l which is provided with a shorter extension Z constitends from the staple-shaped pivot g, to

which it isconnected by the hooked end r, through the slot Z, said lever being provided at its outer end with a short wedging-arm s which extends from the upper or inner surface of the long arm p of the lever upward at substantially an'acute angle therewith, being however preferably curved as illustrated.

t represents the web to which the clasp is secured, andi!J is a portion of a fabric or garment to be supported by said clasp. The web t is secured to the stationary jaw by friction, and when thus secured is in the position illustrated, in which it extends down in front of the upper edge of the main portion a of the stationary jaw, thence rearward through the horizontal slot b behind said portion and down under the lower edge thereof and forward and up in front of the lower horizontal portion of the stiffening edge a', and thence rearward through the slot d behind the plate c, forward through the slot c and rearward through the same slot and upward behind the plate a, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Within the portion which extends 'forward through the slot c a rod or pin o is inserted horizontally, said rod or pin being of suitable diameter to prevent the portion which extends forward in front of the slot c from being' pulled into said slot. The slot Zr in the movable jaw is suliiciently broad to accommodate this projecting portion of the web when the clasp is closed. By this moans the tab is locked into engagement with the stationary jaw and effectually prevented from being pulled out of engagement, Thus the web covers the back of the clasp and is interposed between it and the person when the clasp is being worn. y

When the fabric or garment u is to be engaged by the clasp, it is inserted between the two members or jaws while the clasp is in the open position illustrated in Fig. 3, and then the movable jaw Zt is pressed back against the fabric, the lip ZC extending against it just under the rod o, and the lower horizontal portion of the stilfening edge Zt underlapping the fabric and pressing it against the portion of the tab which extends around the horizontal portion of the stiflening edge a. The swinging member having been thus pressed against the fabric u, thelever p, 1 is forced upward until its long arm p lies flat against the outer surface of the movable jaw Zt, and when being swung into such position the short arm r of the lever swings through the main portion of the Vslot Z and enters the extension or recess Z, and the long arm p, which is a trifle wider than the short arm 'Z and hence wider than the extension Z of the slot Z, bears against the shoulders m. Moreover as the long arm is pressed into the above described position the wedging arm s is forced over the upper edge of the plate a, and the lever is thus locked firmly into position, whereby the swinging arm cannot be forced out by the spring n, n, but must be pulled out of position by hand.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a clasp of the character described, a stationary jaw comprising a plate provided vwith a horizontal slot near its up er end and a pair of horizontal slots near its ower end, a webbing extending rearwardly through the highest slot, around the lower edge of the stationary jaw and rearwardly through the lowest slot, and forward and back through the higher of the two lower slots; a movable jaw pivotally connected with the stationary jaw and provided with an inwardly or rearwardly extending lip which when the clasp is closed is opposite the portion of the stationary jaw which is between the two lower slots, the lower ends of the two jaws being at different heights and provided with inwardly bent horizontal edges one of which overlaps the other, and means for closing the jaws and maintaining them in clamping relation for the purpose set forth. 2. ln a clasp of the character described, a stationary jaw comprising a plate provided with a horizontal slot near its upper end and a pair of horizontal slots near its lower end, whereby the web may be applied by passing it rearwardly through the highest slot, around the lower edge of the stationary jaw and rearwardly through the lowest slot, and forward and back through the higher of the two lower slots; a movable jaw pivotally connected with the stationary jaw and provided with an inwardly or rearwardly extending lip which when the clasp is closed is o Jposite the portion of the stationary jaw w iich is between the two lower slots, and with a slot adapted to accommodate the portion of the web which projects forward through and in front of the upper of the two lower slots in the stationary jaw, the lower ends of the two jaws being at dill'erent heights and provided with inwardly bent horizontal edges one of which overlaps the other, and means for closing the aws and maintaining them in a clamping position, for the purpose set forth.

3. ln a clasp of the character described, a stationary jaw 3 a movable jaw pivotally connected near its upper end with the corresponding portion of the stationary jaw, and provided with a horizontal slot having an upward extension which is of less length than the main portion of the slot, whereby shoulders or ledges are produced at opposite ends of the said extension; and a locking lever consisting of a short arm pivotally connected with the stationary jaw, and a long arm at substantially right angles with the short arm and extending through said slot, said long arm being broader than the length of the extension to the slot, whereby when the lever is swung upward to force the movable jaw against the stationary jaw the short arm thereof is moved into said extension of the slot and the long arm bears against the shoulders or ledges at the opposite ends of the said extension, for the purpose set forth. 4. ln a clasp of the character described, a stationary j aw; a movable jaw pivotally connected near its upper end with the corresponding portion of the stationary jaw, and provided with a horizontal slot having an upward extension which is of less length than the main portion of the slot, whereby shoulders or ledges are produced at opposite ends of the said'extension; a locking lever consisting of a short arm pivotally connected with the stationary jaw, and a long arm at substantially right angles with the short arm and extending through said slot, said long arm being broader than the length of the extension to the slot, whereby when the lever is swung upward to force the movable jaw against the stationary jaw the short arm thereof is moved into seid extension of the In testimony whereof I have signed my slot and the long arm bears against the shoulname to this speeication in the presence of 10 ders or ledges at the opposite ends of the said two subscribing Witnesses,

extension' and a WedO'ing-arm extending 5 from the 7long arm netti its outer end and A JAMES F' ATWOOD' bearing against the upper edgel of the sta- Witnesses: tonary jaw When the jaws are closed, for the HENRY W. WILLIAMS,

purpose set forth. M. A. ATWOOD. 

